Columbus State Community College

Ray Miller, a longtime Ohio state representative and senator, died Friday at age 77. Miller served a combined 24 years at the Ohio Statehouse, holding a House seat from 1981 to 1993 and again from 1998 to 2002, before moving to the state senate, where he served until 2011.

Before his legislative career, Miller worked for AFSCME/Ohio Council 8 in the 1970s and served in President Jimmy Carter's administration as deputy special assistant for the White House from 1979 to 1980. He also spent 14 years across three stints as vice president of Columbus State Community College and founded the Columbus African American news journal, for which he received this year's Poindexter Award from Columbus City Council.

Columbus officials including City Council President Shannon Hardin, Mayor Andrew Ginther, and City Attorney Zach Klein paid tribute, citing his role in passing major health care, human services, and education legislation and his advocacy for marginalized communities. Miller is survived by his wife, Marlene, and son, Ray III. A celebration of life will be announced later.